Program Overview

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Paramedicine

The BSc Paramedicine degree, offered by the College of Medicine and Health, will prepare students for work as Paramedic practitioners in the pre-hospital environment. The course will provide students with a variety of modules in numerous settings, including modules in theory and clinical practice.

Course Outline

The four-year degree comprises modules worth 60 credits per year. Year 1 is divided between college-based learning and hospital/ambulance placements, during which the curriculum for the Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council (PHECC) National Qualification for Emergency Medicine Technician (NQEMT) will be covered.

• In Year 2 of the programme, students will continue to develop and consolidate their knowledge and experience in college-based learning and hospital placements, followed by a paid clinical internship in Year 3.
• By Year 4, students will focus on their clinical and research practice while being an active member of an operational ambulance crew.

Modules

All modules are worth 5 credits unless otherwise stated.

Year 1 Modules

• MD1203 Academic Writing, Information Technology and Evidence
• MD1204 Foundations in Paramedic Practice 1
• MD1209 Paramedico-Legal Studies
• MD1210 Professional Development for Paramedics
• MD1205 Principles of Human Structure for Practitioner Paramedics
• MD1206 Topographical Anatomy for Practitioner Paramedics
• MD1208 Foundations in Paramedic Practice 2

Course Practicalities

Theory Modules

Theory modules comprise lectures, seminars, workshops, clinical skills training, experiential learning sessions, field visits, and protected study time scheduled throughout a 39-hour week. These modules are taken at University College Cork throughout each year of the course.

Clinical Practice Modules

Clinical Practice modules require students to be in supervised clinical practice in ambulance settings, hospital, community, and other healthcare settings for 39 hours per week for scheduled weeks each year.

Driving Licence

Students on this programme will be required to obtain a full C1 driving licence by semester 2 of Year 3. The National Ambulance Service will check these licenses as part of the application process for the Year 3 clinical internship.

Why Choose This Course

Paramedic training at UCC is highly sought-after, as evidenced by the consistently high number of applications made to the Health Service Executive's National Recruitment Service.

• This degree offers students a wide variety of clinical placements across the nationwide ambulance system, including select university hospitals and community facilities, representing all the major medical specialties.
• This is a highly rewarding, evolving, and stimulating area of work, and students will be sought-after professionals upon graduation.

Placement or Study Abroad Information

The BSc (Hons) Paramedicine programme places students in major hospitals and ambulance bases throughout the State, enabling them to consolidate their learning and gain clinical exposure throughout the programme. Clinical placements are facilitated by the HSE National Ambulance Service.

• Students will have the opportunity to travel the world on summer electives or begin practice as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) after successfully completing the first year of the programme.

Skills and Careers Information

BSc Paramedicine aims to provide students with sound paramedic skills (and the supporting knowledge base) necessary for starting their professional career as a Paramedic. These skills will be further developed through clinical experience.

• Students will also develop skills in independent thinking, problem-solving, and analytical and clinical decision-making, as well as fundamental research utilisation and application skills.
• As this programme includes a significant piece of scholarly research, it allows students the option to continue their discipline in an academic context.

Requirements

Leaving Certificate Entry Requirements

At least six subjects must be presented. Minimum grade H4 in a Lab Science, minimum grade H5 in one subject, and minimum grade O6/H7 in four other subjects. English and Irish are requirements for all programmes unless the applicant is exempt from Irish.

• The following are considered Lab Science subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Physics with Chemistry, and Agricultural Science.
• Applicants will need to meet the following minimum entry requirements:
  • English | Irish | Maths | Lab Science
  • O6/H7 | O6/H7 | O6/H7 | H4

EU/EFTA/UK Qualifications

EU/EFTA/UK applicants presenting an equivalent school-leaving qualification should review the EU/EFTA/UK Applicants page for information on equivalent grades and how to prove their level of English.

Mature Students

To compete through the mature entry route, applicants must be 23 years of age on or before 1 January of the application year and apply online via the CAO by 1 February. The application should include a statement of interest. Applicants may also be called for interview.

• Applicants must have a H4 in a Lab Science subject in the Leaving Certificate (or equivalent). (HC2 if presenting a pre-2017 Leaving Certificate).

QQI FET Entry

Applicants who meet the required level of distinctions in required subjects can apply for entry to this course using specific QQI FET qualifications.

Student Garda Vetting

All students on this programme will come into contact with the public and assume positions of trust through educational and training opportunities. To ensure the protection of the public, and to justify public trust and confidence, UCC is committed to ensuring that only suitable candidates are allowed to undertake this programme.

• Vetting is carried out by the Admissions Office in UCC under the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012 to 2016 (the Acts) once a student has accepted their place on the programme.
• This involves a police check to establish whether the individual being vetted has had criminal convictions in the past or whether any criminal proceedings are pending.

Fees and Costs

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Students will be required to have the necessary Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to complete the internship phase of the programme (helmet, steel-toe boots, safety goggles).

• Note that PPE purchased for use in UCC must comply with the European Communities (Personal Protective Equipment) Regulations 1993 (S.I. No. 272/1993), as amended by S.I. No. 13/1994, which requires PPE to have the appropriate CE mark.

How To Apply

Irish and European (EU/EFTA/UK) Applicants

Apply via the CAO. See the CAO Handbook for useful information on applying through the CAO.

Mature Applicants

Apply via the CAO by 1 February. To apply for a place as a mature student, you must be 23 years of age on or before 1 January of the year of entry.

QQI/FET Applicants

Apply via the CAO. See the QQI/FET Applicants page for information on the Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) Further Education and Training (FET) application process.

Similar Courses

BSc Paramedic Studies - Practitioner Entry

Visit UCC

Visit the College of Medicine and Health to learn more about the Paramedicine programme and the university's facilities.